Cape Verdean Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva announced on Monday that pensions would be made available to the families of eight soldiers killed in a firefighting accident.
“At tomorrow’s Council of Ministers [terça-feira]I will approve the calculation of pensions for the families of the fallen soldiers, as we did in relation to the Monte Chota event [militar que matou a tiro outros 11 em 2016]”, announced Ulisses Correia and Silva after visiting the scene of the fire in Serra da Malagueta, Tarrafal, and the victims of the same traffic accident taken to the hospital in Praia.
“I promise to support not only the affected families, but also the farmers and livestock breeders whose production has been affected by the fire. This is a moment of emotion and solidarity and I acknowledge the tireless efforts of the firefighters, civil protection and military in putting out this fire,” he said further.
“United Cape Verdeans will overcome this moment,” he added, highlighting the “bravery of the military, civil defense agents, firefighters and civilians who fought the fire.”
The death toll from a car accident Sunday in a fire in Serra da Malagueta, Cape Verde’s Santiago island, has risen to nine, killing a technician from the natural park.
According to a source at the Cape Verdean Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the ninth victim was a technician from the Serra da Malagueta Natural Park, and the death also came from an accident with a truck of the Cape Verdean armed forces.
Ten soldiers were treated at the capital’s hospital, but two have already been discharged, the hospital management reports.
The Office of the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Cape Verde initially mentioned seven deaths in a military vehicle accident that occurred at 17:20 (19:20 on Sunday in Lisbon) and in which operatives identified missions to support the fight against fires that broke out in Serra Malagueta and Figueira das Naus, about 50 km north of the city of Praia.
However, this number was updated to eight soldiers, in addition to several seriously wounded, as well as equipment from the Ministry of the Environment.
“It is also reported that the entire medical team of the Armed Forces was immediately activated to support the health services that received the victims and provide all necessary support,” the previous statement added.
Cape Verdean Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva announced early on Sunday that the government had “decided to declare two days of national mourning in memory of the victims” of the accident.
According to a source from the National Civil Protection Service of Cape Verde, the fire broke out on Saturday at 10:30 (12:30 in Lisbon), engulfing Serra Malagueta, Figueira das Naus and Fundura.
On Sunday afternoon, the flames, which were brought under control, were fought by 200 operators of almost all fire departments of the island of Santiago, as well as military personnel, supported by two heavy fire engines, four light firefighters. and three ambulances.
As a result of the fire, ten families were evacuated from the city of Figueira das Naus, as a result of which five people were slightly injured and one in serious condition, all of whom were taken to hospital.
Cape Verdean President José María Neves, who is on an official visit to the United States, also expressed “deep dismay at the fire, which has already engulfed a significant area of the forest perimeter of the Serra da Malagueta, and has also caused loss of life.”
“The head of state understands that huge trials and deep sorrow await the whole country. The President of the Republic expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims, wishes them to find the strength to endure this moment of deepest loss and suffering. inside the family,” he said in a statement from the President of the Republic.
“The head of state welcomes the enormous efforts that have been made from the very beginning to put out this fire of tragic proportions for our reality, and also appeals to the sense of unity of the whole nation for the solidarity that is imposed,” he added.
PVJ // PYA
Lusa/The End
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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